1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to golf clubs and in particular to a handle which attaches to the standard grip of a golf putter to train the golfer's muscles in the preferred method of putting a golf ball.
2. Description of Related Art
A consistent, repeatable, smooth, and straight motion of a putter is required to accurately putt a golf ball on the green in the game of golf. This seemingly simple physical act has frustrated golfers since the advent of the game. Amateurs and professionals alike seek to train themselves to apply such a smooth, repeatable motion to the putter. It is well established that the preferred approach to an accurate putting stroke is to utilize the larger muscles in the upper body to stroke the putter. It is a common error in golf that the golfer tends to use smaller muscles in the forearms, hands, or wrists in the putting stroke. These smaller muscles provide less overall power than the larger upper body muscles and therefore may tend to provide a less repeatable, "jerky" motion in the putting stroke. Golfers sometimes refer to this as the "yips." The smaller muscles in the hands, wrists, and forearms may also contribute unevenly to the putting stroke thereby forcing the golf ball off target as one arm or the other exerts more or less force in the putting stroke.
Several prior approaches have attempted to aid or train the golfer to improve the putting stroke One type of putting aid is a frame or track structure which attempts to guide the path of the putter or the path of the golfer's arm and body motion to improve the putting stroke. U.S. Pat. No. 4,919,433 (issued Apr. 24, 1990 to Millat) and U.S. Pat. No. 5,102,142 (issued Apr. 7, 1992 to Bittl) are exemplary of golf training devices which attempt to guide the path of motion. Millat discloses a training aid comprising a frame structure which guides the path of the putter and attempts to force the golfer to use the forearms, hands, and wrists. Bittl teaches a larger frame structure which forces the golfers body into a repeatable position and attempts to guide the path of the arms in the putting stroke. Both of these devices are passive in the sense that they merely guide the path of the stroke to encourage the golfer's muscles to learn a repeatable stroke. In addition, neither of these training devices may legally be used on the golf course during play according to the rules of golf. Finally, Millat specifically teaches that the preferred muscles to guide the putting stroke are the wrist and forearm muscles rather than well established current methods which prefer the; use of the large upper body muscles in the shoulders.
A second type of training aid recognizes the preference that the wrists remain steady during the putting stroke and attempt to lock the wrists of the golfer. U.S. Pat. No. 5,064,198 (issued Nov. 12, 1991 to Szabo) and U.S. Pat. No. 5,116,047 (issued May 26, 1992 to Mangiaracina) are exemplary of golf training devices which attempt to lock the wrists during the putting stroke. Szabo teaches a strap that wraps around the wrist of the trailing arm (the rearward arm) in the putting stroke and around the middle finger of the corresponding hand. This device claims to lock the wrists to encourage the golfer to use the upper body muscles to stroke the putter (although it is unclear how the strap can succeed in locking the wrists from movement in more than one direction --movement in the opposite direction is apparently not prevented by the strap). Mangiaracina discloses a wrist strap placed on the leading wrist (the forward wrist in the putting stroke) and a mated strap placed around the top of the putter grip adjacent the wrist strap. The two straps are connected with Velcro so as to provide physical resistant, to motion of the wrist and to provide an audible sound when the wrist strap and mated grip strap separate (from undesirable motion of the wrist). As above, these devices are passive in that they attempt to resist the undesirable motion of the wrist as opposed to pro-actively forcing the use of the proper muscles in the upper body.
Another type of golf putting aid is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,459,426 (issued Aug. 5, 1969 to Sherwood). Sherwood teaches a grip affixed to the shaft of the putter which is substantially flat and planar as opposed to the more traditional rounded grip. The flat planar grip is held between the golfer's hands with palms and fingers open and spread. Sherwood refers to the hands as being in a prayer-like position. Sherwood teaches that in this position, the putter is stroked using only the golfer's wrists in a manner similar to a croquet mallet: the golfer, facing the hole, pivots the wrists to draw the club back between the legs and then pivots the wrists forward to move the club forward and through the ball toward the hole. The putter face is substantially perpendicular to the flat planar grip when stroked in this manner. Sherwood's method and putter is contrary to the accepted norm that the upper body muscles are preferred in stroking a putt and its use is contrary to the rules of golf. Specifically, a golfer is not permitted to stand astride the intended line of a putt when putting the ball on the green under the rules of the game. In addition, Sherwood's device is in itself a putter, not a device to be used with the putter preferred by the golfer,. The putter is a club which is used most by "feel." The golfer develops a feel of the particular weight and balance of his or her own personal putter. Changing putters, as Sherwood's invention would require, is not done lightly in the game of golf!
It is apparent from the above discussion that there is a need for an improved golf training device which pro-actively teaches the use of the upper body muscles in putting a golf ball, is usable with the golfer's normal putter, and is simultaneously usable in a manner which would teach the golfer a legal putting stroke useful on a golf course when playing the game of golf.